Page 39 of Stalked By the Alphas
“Why was it in the shop then?” he asks.
I stare into his eyes, wishing I had an answer for him. “I—I don’t know. Maybe a customer left it by accident.” I drop my gaze and turn away, busying myself with tidying a pile of already neat books on the counter.
“And you smashed it to bits.”
“Well, tough. I’ll pay for a new one.”
His scent wafts closer, and I freeze when he moves closer to me. “It’s okay to be scared, Hazel.”
“I’m not.”
“Your hands are trembling.”
“With rage.”
“Sure,” he says. “Because your temper is so legendary.”
Hissing, I turn to him and come face-to-face with his chest. He grips my hands lightly, and I nearly keel over from the contact with him. It’s more potent than I remember. Deeper, somehow, even though we haven’t seen each other in five years.
“I’m here, Hazel,” he murmurs, letting go of one of my hands and curling my hair back behind my ear. “I know you. I know your deepest fears. You don’t have to pretend with me.”
I stiffen at Carter’s touch, my breath catching in my throat. His familiar scent envelops me, stirring up memories and feelings I’ve tried so hard to bury. For a moment, I’m transported back to our shared past - the four of us inseparable, the doubts that tore us apart.
“Carter,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “Please...”
His blue eyes bore into mine, filled with an intensity that makes my heart race. “What are you so afraid of, Hazel? What’s really going on?”
I shake my head, unable to form the words. How can I explain the terror that’s been haunting me? The imagined stalker, the masked magicians, the feeling of losing my grip on reality?
“Nothing,” I manage to choke out. “Everything’s fine.”
Carter’s eyes narrow slightly, clearly not believingme. His hand cups my cheek gently. “You were always a terrible liar, Haze.”
I step back, breaking contact with him. “It’s been a long time, Carter. Things change. People change.”
He nods slowly. “They do. But some things remain the same.” His gaze sweeps over me, making me shiver, and I wonder for a brief, wild moment if he’s right.
25
CARTER
Hazel’s scentfills my nostrils as I stand close to her, a heady mix of jasmine and vanilla with an undercurrent of fear that makes it so much more potent. It takes every ounce of self-control not to pull her into my arms and claim her right here.
“Hazel,” I say softly, “I know something’s wrong. Let me help you.”
She shakes her head, backing away from me, knowing I can smell it on her. “You can’t help, Carter. No one can.”
I let her go, giving her the space she wants. This game is about her trusting me and remembering what good friends we once were before she ripped my fucking heart out. “Try me. What’s going on?”
For a moment, I see her waver. She bites her lip, clearly worrying about whether to open up to me.
“I...” she starts, then stops. “It’s nothing. Just stress.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Stress that has you smashingporcelain dolls and making doctor’s appointments for anxiety?”
Her eyes widen in shock. “You heard that?”
“I have good hearing,” I say with a shrug. “Hazel, please. Talk to me.”
